Black Bean Chocolate Cookies

Today, I decided to be exceptionally weird with my cookie baking experiments. I found a recipe that incorporates black beans into the batter! Yes, black beans, as an alternative to the flour you typically see in cookie recipes. Best part about this recipe is the strange main ingredient. Second best part: they can be made vegan (use carob chips in place of chocolate chips) and healthy! At only 120 calories a cookie (or so), I had two. But let’s be honest, I had to hold myself back. After all, I baked them for a healthy work potluck and it wouldn’t look too good if I showed up with just 4 cookies for everyone, now would it?

A couple of days ago I got a new hand blender from Bed Bath and Beyond. Clearly from the Beyond section. It’s made by Calphalon and has two options: “blending wand” and a mini food processor! (They call it a chopper… but it works just as well as a processor for small batches). Anyway this is worth mentioning because I have never owned a food processor, and this was my first baby step towards the real thing. And let me tell you, I can do SO MUCH MORE with this puppy! This recipe requires you to whip the ingredients into a mousse like consistency, which can really only be done with a food processor. You need to be patient as it take a couple minutes of blending the beans, oil, milk and nut butter to get them smooth.

I had to pry the bowl out of my boyfriend’s hands, or he would have eaten all the batter before it met the oven. Great success all around-can’t wait to share at the potluck tomorrow!

I use Hungarian Whole Wheat Flour, designed for high altitude. The coconut oil I picked up at Target, surprisingly, for just $6. For you Target fans-I was only surprised because the grocery selection is typically limited, so finding organic coconut oil felt like a score.

Pre-processor joy.

Post.

One of the finalists. These little guys are so soft, it’s almost a crime.

Black Bean Chocolate Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed

2 TBS peanut or other nut butter

2 TBS coconut oil

2 TBS coconut milk

3 TBS whole wheat flour

⅓ cup + 1 TBS packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

dash cinnamon

dash salt

½ cup chocolate or carob chips/chunks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375, line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put beans, nut butter, oil and milk in food processor. Blend on high setting until smooth.

Add all remaining ingredients but chocolate chunks. Blend until mousse-like in texture.